PINE TAR

EINECS: 232-374-8
Melting Point: a brown viscous liquid
Synonyms: Tar,pine ;Pine tar ;Pine tar(oil) ;Pinus palustris wood tar ;Pinetar,technical

Pine tar (8011-48-1) has long been used in Scandinavian nations as a preservative for wood which may be exposed to harsh conditions, including outdoor furniture and ship decking and rigging. The high-grade pine tar used in this application is often called "Stockholm Tar" after the company which for many years had a monopoly on its export out of Sweden and is also frequently known as "Archangel Tar".
It was used as a preservative on the bottoms of wooden, Nordic style skis until modern synthetic materials replaced wood in the construction of such skis. The pine tar also helped the adhesion of waxes which aided the grip and glide of such skis.
Pine tar is widely used as a veterinary care product. It's a traditional antiseptic and hoof care product for horses and cattle. Pine tar has been used when chickens start pecking the low hen. Once they get a spot of blood then they would be pecked to death. Applying a smear of pine tar on the wound gives the attacking hens something else to do. They are distracted by the effort of trying to get the sticky pine tar off their beaks. Pine tar has also been used to make medicinal soap for people with skin ailments.
 

Pine tar (8011-48-1) is reported in EPA TSCA Inventory.

A flammable liquid. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating vapors.

DOT Classification:  3; Label: Flammable Liquid

Pine tar (8011-48-1) is a sticky material produced by the high temperature carbonization of pine wood in anoxic conditions (dry distillation or destructive distillation). The wood is rapidly decomposed by applying heat and pressure in a closed container; the primary resulting products are charcoal and pine tar.
Pine tar consists primarily of aromatic hydrocarbons, tar acids and tar bases. Components of tar vary according to the pyrolytic process (e.g. method, duration, temperature) and origin of the wood (e.g. age of pine trees, type of soil and moisture conditions during tree growth). The choice of wood, design of kiln, burning and collection of the tar can vary. Only pine stumps and roots are used in the traditional production of pine tar.
Pine tar has a long history as a wood preservative, as a wood sealant for maritime use, in roofing construction and maintenance, in soaps such as Packer’s Pine Tar Soap and in the treatment of skin diseases, such as psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha).